Man, I'm agreeing with NoProps... this might be a first for me. I think Colangelo is going to do whatever it takes to get into the playoffs next year. Other than Derozan, he doesn't have any RFAs/UFAs he needs to re-sign and he's going to have 3 guys on rookie deals. He's got a lot of flexibility with Barbosa and maybe Calderon off the books and 4 years out of the playoffs is a great motivator to get some things done. He'll need some luck but with Bargs, JV, 2012 1st, Derozan (if he shows up for a full season), Davis/Amir, Kleiza, JJ, Barbosa, Calderon.... he's got some assets to work with.

I think we'll make it for sure. who is our competition? the bucks? lol

...We might as well be discussing what housing will eventually look like on the moon, since there are so many variables and factors that will absolutely change between now and next season, ....

Well, obviously sectional buildings, since most parts will have to be manufactured in-situ. Given the make up of the moons "soil" probably some kind of ceramic or silica based structural units, buried in regolith, to protect inhabitants from cosmic rays and high level radiation during solar flares. Curved segments are inherently stronger, so you can expect the inside of buildings to look much like quonset hut type construction. Space will be at a premium, so there is no doubt...Oh, that was just a figure of speech. Sorry.

Yes We Can

I think the argument can be made that if we had a healthy Andrea Bargnani we would be in a position to make the playoffs THIS year. So ... yes with a healthy andrea bargnani, and JV we can definitely be a playoff team next year.

I think the argument can be made that if we had a healthy Andrea Bargnani we would be in a position to make the playoffs THIS year. So ... yes with a healthy andrea bargnani, and JV we can definitely be a playoff team next year.

We were 6-7 with him. So I guess you can back that up with this record statement, but it's not .500, so it's still a raw statement.

Raptors have been picking in the lottery for the last 3 years now. How long you spend at the bottom depends a lot on if you screw up your draft picks. Bargnani, DeRozan, Ed, and Jonas all seem like pretty solid picks.

It's easy to forget as a Raptor fan, but making the playoffs isn't actually the big hurdle. It's not really all that hard; more than half of all teams make the playoffs each year. The hard thing is making the conference finals.

The question about our lineup plus Valanciunas and draft pick yet to be named and free agent signing yet to be named is not: will that team be playoff calibre? It will absolutely be playoff calibre. Our team right NOW is almost playoff calibre when Bargnani is healthy. Just the improvement we would expect with Bargnani, Johnson, DeRozan, Ed., etc as they mature and develop their games should be enough to make us competitive for the playoffs. The big question is whether our guys plus the additions we can count on are good enough to make the eastern conference finals (not win: make). That is MUCH more doubtful, but it's not impossible: it depends on how good our top guys become.

The rebuild thing has been going on for 1 and 1/2 season or 1 and 1/2 year. If Toronto are even close to competing for a playoff spot next year, that will be a very fast rebuild. Minnesota took around 7 seasons and the Clippers took about 10 years. Even OKC took 5 years.

But I can tell you throughout those rebuilds that we have more potential talent than Minny, or the Clips had coming into every season. With Val and draft pick, healthy Bargnani, the team may be able to "hit the ground running" faster than we may have expected. It's all in BC's hands now. The Raptors are doing their best to win every game, we just lack talent.

I believe reasons we can make the playoffs next season include Coach Casey having a FULL training camp and Ed Davis getting his first full training camp. Ed has had a rough beginning to his NBA career thus far. Hopefully a full training camp and help start turning things around. Also, as per everyone else, an improving A. Johnson, J. Johnson, DeRozan and a healthy Bargnani all helps make us playoff competitive. Another thing to note is the continuing "culture change". right now it looks like our team has a lot of potential because we are playing well against good teams. The problem is, we still have a knack for playing bad against bad teams (ie. team will similar or worse records than ours). Not to worry though. I think this year was mainly to establish a defensive presence (or foundation) whereas next year the team will have its own system that it plays night-in and night-out with defence as a foundation regardless or the calibre of the opposing team.

Im not counting on the draft pick to help us make the playoffs. Right now we sit 12 and only 2.5 games back of the 10 seed Cleveland. Plus rookies (draft pick and JVal) will make us younger and add inexperience to the roster. Im not expecting the rookies to come in and make and impact right away. I expect they will be given development time.

Nope

The Raptors have a very small chance of making the playoffs next year. If Howard goes to the Nets that chance moves to zero. Even a Howard-less Orlando is the more likely playoff team and Cleveland is improving faster than we are. Of the playoff teams in the East, only Boston is a sure bet to decline next year.

That said, I don't give a damn about making the playoffs. It's meaningless. You're either building a championship-calibre team or you're rebuilding and stockpiling lottery picks. Anything in the middle is the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks or Phoenix Suns -- perennial first-round outs or mediocre bubble teams. Same result.

This team as constructed is not good enough and doesn't have a single player with more potential than we've already seen. JV may be very good, who knows? But stud bigs need time to become game-changers. We still need a 2, a 3, a 6th man (assuming Barbosa leaves) and a perimeter defender. I don't feel that DD and JJ are starters on a playoff team and I suspect most people outside of Toronto would agree with me, plus we're small up front with nobody in development.

The Raptors have a very small chance of making the playoffs next year. If Howard goes to the Nets that chance moves to zero. Even a Howard-less Orlando is the more likely playoff team and Cleveland is improving faster than we are. Of the playoff teams in the East, only Boston is a sure bet to decline next year.

........

The Raptors are 3-5 years away, at least......

I respect your opinion, but I disagree we are that far. With Bargnani and some miracles, and the continued play of team we can make a run this year and hit the 8th. So with the added talent next year and the full time of facilities for accommodation (Full Training-Camp, off-season available with coaches) they will be a team that can make a large jump. Valanciunas is said to have an NBA ready game and should contribute right away. This year's draft and free agency and our cap space could attain some talent for us, which we are currently lacking at a huge level.
On NBA Gametime they were talking about the Raptors' change in culture, and their compete level night in and night out, and they've noticed the change and continued improvement about our young guys (moreover Andrea Bargnani), so really lack at talent has been our main problem. Valanciunas is a much needed upgrade over Gray, who I like very much, and with this year's draft and a healthy Bargnani, most likely our talent problem will be built upon this off-season.

I respect your opinion, but I disagree we are that far. With Bargnani and some miracles, and the continued play of team we can make a run this year and hit the 8th. So with the added talent next year and the full time of facilities for accommodation (Full Training-Camp, off-season available with coaches) they will be a team that can make a large jump. Valanciunas is said to have an NBA ready game and should contribute right away. This year's draft and free agency and our cap space could attain some talent for us, which we are currently lacking at a huge level.
On NBA Gametime they were talking about the Raptors' change in culture, and their compete level night in and night out, and they've noticed the change and continued improvement about our young guys (moreover Andrea Bargnani), so really lack at talent has been our main problem. Valanciunas is a much needed upgrade over Gray, who I like very much, and with this year's draft and a healthy Bargnani, most likely our talent problem will be built upon this off-season.

All in Bryan Colangelo's hands now.

we wont even need miracles. we are in next year. we have rookie of the year, coach of the year and executive of the year for his risky move of drafting a player he knew would wait a year to come along and hiring the right coach.

i wouldn't be surprises if colangelo scripted this while still gming in phoenix.

The Raptors have a very small chance of making the playoffs next year. If Howard goes to the Nets that chance moves to zero. Even a Howard-less Orlando is the more likely playoff team and Cleveland is improving faster than we are. Of the playoff teams in the East, only Boston is a sure bet to decline next year.

That said, I don't give a damn about making the playoffs. It's meaningless. You're either building a championship-calibre team or you're rebuilding and stockpiling lottery picks. Anything in the middle is the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks or Phoenix Suns -- perennial first-round outs or mediocre bubble teams. Same result.

This team as constructed is not good enough and doesn't have a single player with more potential than we've already seen. JV may be very good, who knows? But stud bigs need time to become game-changers. We still need a 2, a 3, a 6th man (assuming Barbosa leaves) and a perimeter defender. I don't feel that DD and JJ are starters on a playoff team and I suspect most people outside of Toronto would agree with me, plus we're small up front with nobody in development.

The Raptors are 3-5 years away, at least.

i think boston is going to get better next year. all those big contracts are up and those players would sign minimum deals to keep playing i think. hard working and loyal and determined.